Glasgow Labour MSP Anne McTaggart has welcomed the New Year and Scottish Labour’s new £1 membership rate for the month of January.

Ms McTaggart said “2015 is going to be a massively important year for the Scottish Labour Party. Our members will play a vital role in fighting for victory in May’s General Election, so it’s important that membership is accessible to people from all walks of life and that’s why I’m delighted with this reduced membership rate. Only Labour can replace the Tories in 2010 so I would urge people to join us and help make this happen.”

In his New Year message, New Scottish Labour leader Murphy said 2015 can be a year of change, where Scots come together to get rid of the Tories and return a UK Labour Government.

Mr Murphy said: “We were divided for one day last September but can be united In 2015 to do what most Scots want and remove David Cameron from Downing Street. We can achieve that by working together.

“After the divisions of the referendum, we have the opportunity to unite together to make Scotland the fairest nation on earth.

“There will be some Scots who plan to vote SNP or Green with the intention of removing Mr Cameron from office.

“But any seat the SNP takes from Labour in Scotland could mean handing David Cameron the keys to No.10 by accident.

“Only Labour is big enough and strong enough across the UK to remove the Tories from power.

“So my message to every Scot who wants a fairer, more just and more equal nation is this – let’s come together and make our movement stronger.

“I want to wish all Scots a happy and prosperous New Year. Together in 2015 we can build a Scotland we can be even more proud of.”

Scottish Labour’s Deputy Leader Kezia Dugdale said: “The new leadership team is a fresh start for Scottish Labour and for Scotland. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to join our movement, so that we hit the ground running in our campaign to remove David Cameron from Downing Street.

“We need to put the differences of 2014 behind us, so we can work together to make a better, fairer, stronger and more prosperous Scotland in 2015. The best way of making that goal a reality is with a stronger Scottish Labour Party.”